Valve for leak patching device for pipe lines



Oct. 20, 1953 I M. P. MORRIS 2,655,946

VALVE FOR LFAK PATCHING DEVICE: FOR PIPE LINES Filed June 2, Ism

dffys.

Patented Oct. 20, 1953 VALVE FOR LEAK PATCHING DEVICE FOR PIPE LINES Melvin P. Morris, Okmulgee, Okla.

Application June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,786

(Cl. 13S-99) 3 Claims.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a leak patching device for repairing high pressure pipe lines, such yas natural gas, crude oil, or gasoline pipe lines, and has for its object to vprovide a patch pad which may be applied and Welded in place on a pipeline without interrupting the normal flow of pressure fluid and at the same time avoiding the danger of iire vand explosion caused by the use of Welding torches and similar equipment in the presence of escaping gas =or vapor.

` I am familiar with certain previous efforts along this general line which included a system of diverting the escaping gas or liquid to a point -beyond the danger zone during the application of a patch pad to a pipe line. While these previous devices may have been satisfactory to a certain extent for use in connection with relatively low pressure pipe lines, they have not proven satisfactory in meeting the conditions prevailing in present day high pressure Ipipe lines. This has been primarily because of the design of the patch pad and the valve means for controlling the diversion and ultimate sealing off of the escaping gas. v

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide a patch pad which may effectively be used in repairing leaks in pipe lines operating under a pressure of at leastv 800 lbs.

per, square inch. In furtherance of this end, I

employ a patch pad adapted to rlt over a leak in the pipe line and provided with a fluid diversion and controlling dome equipped with an improved internal valve structure which serves the dual purpose of facilitating the connection of the iiuid diversion line and the ultimate sealing 01T of the dome after the patch has .been welded in place.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features hereinafter set forth illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like character -designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing my improved patch pad Welded in Aplace on the periphery of a pipe line;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but before the removal of the diversion line and with the valve in open position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detailnshowing the valve in closed position and withfthe upper end of the dome sealed. Y v s, y y

In the drawings, I represents my improved` patch pad which maybe of anydesiredshape in plan but which is curved or otherwise formed transversely toconform to the contour of the pipe line 2 or other surface to which thevpad isto be applied. The central p ortion4 of thepadl is provided with an opening 3 of a size toaccom-- modate and encircle a leak 4 in the pipe line,l A.

Immediately above the opening 3 Yandvvelded or otherwise permanently `sealed at its loweredgeI to the pad around the boundary of the opening 3, I provide a fluid controlling dome 5which is in communication with theleakA through the, medium of the opening 3 in the pad. The upper end of the dome 5 is centrally aperturedto 17eceive a bushing or collar 6 which extends axially through the top wall of the dome and iswelded both internally and externally as at 'I. This bushing 6 is internally threaded to receive the complementary threads 8 Vof a valve stem 9, the

latter terminating at its lower extremity in.` an

enlarged valve head I0 lying within thedomei, n

TheA valve stem 9 is longitudinally drilled to` forma diversion passageway II extending from a transverse port I2 in the valve stem, through the outer end of the stem 9. As willbe seen from Fig. 2, the transverserport I2 is normally located at a point below the bushing 6 in open communication with the interior of the dome 5, whereby uid entering the dome through theleak 4 is permitted to escape through the longitudinal passageway. I I in the valve stem 9. It will be understood that the valve stem .9 may be rotated.

from the exterior of the dome 5 to control the position of the valve head I0, with respect to the valve seat at the inner end of the bushing 6.-

This valve seat is preferably inwardlybeveled and machined as at I3, to receive the comple? mentary beveled and machined face I4 on' the valve head I0 to insure a tight closing ofthe valve when in its extreme upper position.ff-The outer extremity of the valve stem 9 is threaded to accommodate a suitable gate valve I5 in the diversion line I6 to control the flow of escaping fluid, as will be hereinafter described.

I have found that the most practical method of securing the patch pad I in place on the 'pipe line during the repair operation is by means of a chain I'I which encircles the pipe line and is connected at each end to an eye bolt I8. The eye bolts I8 are adapted to engage suitable openings in respective lugs I9 welded to the adjacent edges of the pad I, as will be seen from Fig. 2. By tightening the nuts 20 on the eye bolts I8, the pad I is caused to firmly embrace the periphery of the pipe line around the leak area. In this connection, I have also found it advantageous to provide a circular rubber gasket or seal 2| in the under face of the pad I for encircling the area adjacent the leak 4.

Having thusdescribedthe construction of'my improved patch pad, its use and operation are as follows: Upon ascertaining the location of a leak in a pipe line, a pad I of suitable contour and size is placed on the pipe line with the opening 31 over the leak 4, the Ichain I'I being placed around the pipe line and secured in place by the propeladjustment of the nuts 20 on the eye bolts I8. The stem 9 of the valve to which has been applied the gate valve I5, is backed out of the bushing 6 until the beveled face I4 of the valve head' I firmly engages its seat in the bushing 6, thus temporarily stopping the flow of escaping fluid from the dome 5, with closure of the gate valve I5. 'Ille valve stem 9 may now be screwed into tlie'dome until the transverse porty I2 has descended to a point below the bushing 6, as shown in' Fig. 2, the escape of fluid from the dome beingV prevented by the lclosed gate valve I5. A diversion line I6 is then connected to the gate valve andwhen the latter is opened, the escaping fluid is divertedv to a point remote from the danger area.

Thepatch pad I may be welded inplace on the pipe line I, as shown'at 22, by any suitable means and during-this operation, it will be apparent that the escaping Ygas or vapor iscontinuously diverted through thedome and the diversion lineV I6,- thus rendering the welding operation safe from explosion.

YUpon completion of the Welding operation, the gate valve I5 is closed, the connection to the diversionline I6 removed, and the valvefstem 9 backed outk through the bushing 6. When the valve stem' has reached its extreme outward position, th'evalve I0 is rmly seated against seat I3, `proviclingan additional seal againstleakage as the gate valve I5 is removed. The valve stem 'is-thencut off at a point' substantially inline with the upper end of the bushing 6, as shown inV Fig. 4j and the end of the valve stem Welded oriotherwise permanently sealed around the bushing.' To facilitate this latter operation, I preferably provide the upper end of the bushing 6 with an internally beveled edge 23 which pro- Vides amore effective seal. when welded, asshown at. 24.A Thez securing chain I'I may now be removed and the patching operation is complete..

f From. the foregoing, it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in theartwithout further description, it. being borne; in mindA that numerous changes may. be made .in the detailsof construction and operation without departing from` the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.'

I claim:

. l. lAvalve and sealing assembly for a high pressure leak patching device; said assembly comprising a hollow, upstanding dome, the open base of which is adaptedto be sealed to theouter facev of a metallic pipe line patch pad, around a leak encircling Vopening in the latter, an internally threaded `discharge throat in the end wall .of said dome, bounded at its inner end by a valve seat lying within said dome, an elongated threaded plug llling said discharge throat, the inner end of said plug extending into said dome and being solid for a longitudinal distance at least equal to the length of said throat, said solid end terminating in a valve head adapted for engagement with said valve seat, a transverse port located in said plug at the outer terminus of said solid portion, a longitudinal passage way in said plug communicating at its inner end with the interior of said dome, through said port and extending to-the opposite end of the plug, the latter endof said threaded plug projecting through said discharge throat to the exterior of said dome and being adapted for connection to a fluid diversion line, said plug being longitudinally adjustable. in said discharge throat, whereby said valve head is seated and the solid portion of the plug fills said throat, upon the extreme outward movement of said plug toseal oil the interior of said dome.

2. A valve and sealing-assembly fora high pres-- sure leak patching'device; said assembly comprising a hollow, upstanding dome, the open base ofwhich isadapted to be sealed tothe outer'face of a metallic pipe line patch pad,'around a, leakv encircling opening in the latter, an aperture in the end wall'of saidldome, an'internally threaded bushingY sealed in said aperture and projecting through the Wall of said dome,v al Valve seatA formed in the inner end of said bushing, a-Valve stem threaded to engage said bushing and projecting internally andexternally therethrough, a longitudinally extending vent passageway in said stem communicating with the interior of said dome through a transverse port in said steml a valve head carried at thev inner endo? said-stem for engagement with said seat upon the'extreme' outward movement'of saidvstem, said stem beingv solid from said head, fora longitudinal distance at least equal tothe lengthof said bushing, the outer end of said stem'serving as a means for connecting' said vent vpassageway with a fluid diversion line during the welding operation, said valve stem being adapted tol be severed on a line determined by the outer extremity of saidbush ing whensaid valve is in its iinal closed position, and means at the outer end of said bushing to accommodate a weld around saidsevered stem.

3. A valve and sealing assembly as claimed in claimtl, wherein that portion ofthe plug beyond thefsolidportion is adapted to=be-severed when the plug is in its extremeoutward'position, and meansy at the outer end of said throat, adjacent the severed end of the'pluggtoaccommodate a weld.

MELVIN P. MORRIS.

ReferencesfCitedin the le of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS Number Name Date 179,050 Perkins June 20,', 1876 261,914 Eberhard Aug. 1, 1882' 291,603 Kincaid Jan; 8,1884 1,737,181 Woodward' Nov. 26, 1929 2,002,577 Ice` May 28, 1935 2,046,7 66 Bronsell July 7i, A1936 2,492,507 Tipton Dec. 27,1949 

